Absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants or incontinence garments typically include a liner material, an absorbent core and a liquid impervious back sheet, or outer cover. Such articles desirably provide a close, comfortable fit about the wearer and contain body exudates. Conventional diapers, for example, may include elastic or extensible materials and/or components that desirably stretch or extend to allow the diaper to fit properly about the waist area and hips of the wearer, for example. However, many conventional diapers further include fastening systems that interfere or limit the extensibility of the diaper.
For example, conventional diapers may include an attachment area including a loop-type fastening component or material that extends laterally across a front portion of the diaper. The relatively higher cost loop material is typically made of an inelastic or non-extensible material, such as a pattern unbonded material and interferes with or limits the extensibility of the diaper materials, for example an extensible outer cover. Additionally, the fastening component may be bonded directly or indirectly to a back waist region of the diaper. For example, the fastening component may be bonded to the back waist region or to a fastener that extends from a side edge of the back waist region using conventional bonding means and bonding patterns, such as a zig-zag bond pattern. The bond line or area where the loop material is bonded to the back portion of the diaper limits the extensibility of the other diaper components, such as a stretchable or extensible fastening component. As a result, the diaper chassis does not stretch or extend to properly conform to or cover the wearer's body. For example, the conventional chassis may not stretch or extend to cover the wearer's buttocks and hips and/or provide a seal about the wearer's legs. Thus, the conventional diapers do not provide adequate coverage and/or seal, which can undesirably result in improper fit and/or leakage. As a result, many of these articles have not contained bodily exudates as effectively as desired.
Accordingly, despite the attempts to develop improved diapers and other absorbent articles, there remains a need for a diaper having a fastening system that does not interfere with the extensibility of the diaper chassis and, thus, provides for proper positioning of the diaper about the waist of the wearer and effective containment of bodily exudates.